At her eponymous fusion restaurant in Vienna, the Korean-born Master Chef focuses mainly on fish and vegetables, incorporating regional European ingredients, with an experimental flair. There are no menus at Kim, and with at least 300 dishes a night, she still does all the cooking herself, preparing a ten-course meal for each guest, “conceived according to the 5 Elements principle.”

Kim has a background in fashion design, which translates well to the presentation of her food. She uses “more natural and traditional products,” cooking authentic Asian food, in the same traditional way her mother cooked. Kim also understands that the things which affect a diner’s enjoyment of their meal go way beyond taste. It is her genuine compassion for her customers, combined with her innovative expression of the time-honored technique that makes her meals so memorable.

Kim has said that she knows she is “doing the right thing,” because cooking still brings her great joy. Reservations are hard to come by at Kim, so plan ahead if you’re visiting Vienna, and enjoy this one-of-a-kind dining experience for yourself.